Designing Teaching Strategies: An Applied Behav... < PREMIUM • SERIES >

As the session ended, Maya noted the data on her clipboard. The graph showed a steady upward trend in independent requests. In the world of ABA, those dots on a page were the footprints of a child finding his way toward the world.

Maya wasn't just teaching; she was . She wasn't looking for a "one size fits all" lesson plan. She was practicing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in its most artful form. Designing Teaching Strategies: An Applied Behav...

She started with the . To most, "washing hands" is one action. To Maya, it was eleven distinct, reinforceable moments. She watched Leo. When he successfully turned the cold-water knob, she didn't just give a generic "good job." She delivered a high-five and a sliver of a dried mango—his favorite "high-magnitude" reinforcer. As the session ended, Maya noted the data on her clipboard

The breakthrough didn't happen during the hand-washing, though. It happened during a session. Leo usually grabbed items he wanted, leading to frustration for everyone. Maya had designed a strategy using a "Break" card. Maya wasn't just teaching; she was

When Leo began to pace—a sign of rising overstimulation—Maya prompted him to touch the card. The moment he did, she immediately cleared the table. "You asked for a break. Let's go," she said calmly.